Process for making superconductors using barium nitrate

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed an improved process for preparing a superconducting composition having the formula MBa 2  Cu 3  O x  wherein M is selected from the group consisiting of Y, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu; x is from about 6.5 to about 7.0; said composition having a superconducting transition temperature of about 90 K.; said process consisiting essentially of mixing ba(NO 3 ) 2 , M 2  O 3  and CuO in an atomic ratio of M:Ba:Cu of about 1:2:3 to form a precursor powder and heating the precursor powder in an oxygen-containing atmoshpere at a temperature from about 875° C. to about 950° C. for a time sufficient to form MBa 2  Cu 3  O y , where y is from about 6.0 to about 6.4; and maintaining the Mba 2  Cu 3  O y  in an oxygen-containing atmosphere while cooling for a time sufficient to obtain the desired product.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an improved process for making rare earth-barium-copper oxide superconductors with transition temperatures above 90 K.

2. Description of Related Art

Bednorz and Muller, Z. Phys. B64, 189-193 (1986), disclose a superconducting phase in the La-Ba-Cu-O system with a superconducting transition temperature of about 35 K. Samples were prepared by a coprecipitation method from aqueous solutions of Ba-, La- and Cu-nitrate in their appropriate ratios. An aqueous solution of oxalic acid was used as the precipitant.

Chu et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 405-407 (1987), report detection of an apparent superconducting transition with an onset temperature above 40 K under pressure in the La-Ba-Cu-O compound system synthesized directly from a solid-state reaction of La₂ O₃, CuO and BaCO₃ followed by a decomposition of the mixture in a reduced atmosphere. Chu et al., Science 235, 567-569 (1987), disclose that a superconducting transition with an onset temperature of 52.5 K has been observed under hydrostatic pressure in compounds with nominal compositions given by (La₀.9 Ba₀.1)₂ CuO_(4-y), where y is undetermined. They state that the K₂ NiF₄ layer structure has been proposed to be responsible for the high-temperature superconductivity in the La-Ba-Cu-O system (LBCO). They further state that, however, the small diamagnetic signal, in contrast to the presence of up to 100% K₂ NiF₄ phase in their samples, raises a question about the exact location of superconductivity in LBCO.

Cava et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 408-410 (1987), disclose bulk superconductivity at 36 K in La₁.8 Sr₀.2 CuO₄ prepared from appropriate mixtures of high purity La(OH)₃, SrCO₃ and CuO powders, heated for several days in air at 1000° C. in quartz crucibles. Rao et al., Current Science 56, 47-49 (1987), discuss superconducting properties of compositions which include La₁.8 Sr₀.2 CuO₄, La₁.85 Ba₀.15 CuO₄, La₁.8 Sr₀.1 CuO₄, (La_(1-x) Pr_(x))_(2-y) Sr_(y) CuO₄, and (La₁.75 Eu₀.25)Sr₀.2 CuO₄. Bednorz et al., Europhys. Lett. 3, 379-384 (1987), report that susceptibility measurements support high-T_(c) superconductivity in the Ba-La-Cu-O system. In general, in the La-Ba-Cu-O system, the superconducting phase has been identified as the composition La_(1-x) (Ba,Sr,Ca)_(x) O_(4-y) with the tetragonal K₂ NiF₄ -type structure and with x typically about 0.15 and y indicating oxygen vacancies.

Wu et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 908-910 (1987), disclose a superconducting phase in the Y-Ba-Cu-O system with a superconducting transition temperature between 80 and 93 K . The compounds investigated were prepared with nominal composition (Y_(1-x) Ba_(x))₂ CuO_(4-y) and x=0.4 by a solid-state reaction of appropriate amounts of Y₂ O₃, BaCO₃ and CuO in a manner similar to that described in Chu et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 405-407 (1987). Said reaction method comprises more specifically heating the oxides in a reduced oxygen atmosphere of 2×10⁻⁵ bars (2 Pa) at 900° C. for 6 hours. The reacted mixture was pulverized and the heating step was repeated. The thoroughly reacted mixture was then pressed into 3/16 inch (0.5 cm) diameter cylinders for final sintering at 925° C. for 24 hours in the same reduced oxygen atmosphere. The material prepared showed the existence of multiple phases.

Hor et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 911-912 (1987), disclose that pressure has only a slight effect on the superconducting transition temperature of the Y-Ba-CuO superconductors described by Wu et al., supra.

Sun et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 1574-1576 (1987), disclose the results of a study of Y-Ba-Cu-O samples exhibiting superconductivity with transition temperatures in the 90 K range. The samples were prepared from mixtures of high-purity Y₂ O₃, BaCO₃ and CuO powders. The powders were premixed in methanol or water and subsequently heated to 100° C. to evaporate the solvent. Two thermal heat treaments were used. In the first, the samples were heated in Pt crucibles for 6 hours in air at 850° C. and then for another 6 hours at 1000° C. After the first firing, the samples were a dark-green powder, and after the second firing, they became a very porous, black solid. In the second method, the powders were heated for 8-10 hours at 1000° C., ground and then cold pressed to form disks of about 1 cm diameter and 0.2 cm thickness. The superconducting properties of samples prepared in these two ways were similar. X-ray diffraction examination of the samples revealed the existence of multiple phases.

Cava et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 1676-1679 (1987), have identified this superconducting Y-Ba-Cu-O phase to be orthorhombic, distorted, oxygen-deficient perovskite YBa₂ Cu₃ O₉₋δ where δ is about 2.1, and have presented the X-ray diffraction powder pattern and lattice parameters for the phase. The single-phase YBa₂ Cu₃ O₉₋δ was prepared in the following manner. BaCO₃, Y₂ O₃ and CuO were mixed, ground and then heated at 950° C. in air for 1 day. The material was then pressed into pellets, sintered in flowing O₂ for 16 hours and cooled to 200° C. in O₂ before removal from the furnace. Additional overnight treatment in O₂ at 700° C. was found to improve the observed properties.

Takita et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 26, L506-L507 (1987), disclose the preparation of several Y-Ba-Cu compositions with superconducting transitions around 90 K by a solid-state reaction method in which a mixture of Y₂ O₃, CuO, and BaCO₃ was heated in an oxygen atmosphere at 950° C. for more than 3 hours. The reacted mixture was pressed into 10 mm diameter disks for final sintering at 950° or 1000° C. for about 3 hours in the same oxygen atmosphere.

Takabatake et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 26, L502-L503 (1987), disclose the preparation of samples of Ba_(1-x) Y_(x) CuO_(3-z) (x=0.1, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8 and 0.9) from the appropriate mixtures of BaCO₃, Y₂ O₃ and CuO. The mixture was pressed into a disc and sintered at 900° C. for 15 hours in air. The sample with x=0.4 exhibited the sharpest superconducting transition with an onset near 96 K.

Syono et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 26, L498-L501 (1987), disclose the preparation of samples of superconducting Y₀.4 Ba₀.6 CuO₂.22 with T_(c) higher than 88 K by firing mixtures of 4N Y₂ O₃, 3N BaCO₃ and 3N CuO in the desired proportions. The mixtures were prefired at 1000° C. for 5 hours. They were ground, pelletized and sintered at 900° C. for 15 hours in air and cooled to room temperature in the furnace. They also disclose that almost equivalent results were also obtained by starting from concentrated nitrate solution of 4N Y₂ O₃, GR grade Ba(NO₃)₂ and Cu(NO₃)₂.

Takayama-Muromachi et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 26, L476-L478 (1987), disclose the preparation of a series of samples to try to identify the superconducting phase in the Y-Ba-CuO system. Appropriate amounts of Y₂ O₃, BaCO₃ and CuO were mixed in an agate mortar and then fired at 1173±2 K for 48-72 hours with intermediate grindings. X-ray diffraction powder patterns were obtained. The suggested composition of the superconducting compound is Y_(1-x) Ba_(x) CuO_(y) where 0.6<x<0.7.

Hosoya et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 26, L456-L457 (1987), disclose the preparation of various superconductor compositions in the L-Ba-Cu-O systems where L=Tm, Er, Ho, Dy, Eu and Lu. Mixtures of the proper amounts of the lanthanide oxide (99.9% pure), CuO and BaCO₃ were heated in air. The obtained powder specimens were reground, pressed into pellets and heated again.

Hirabayashi et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 26, L454-L455 (1987), disclose the preparation of superconductor samples of nominal composition Y_(1/3) Ba_(2/3) CuO_(3-x) by coprecipitation from aqueous nitrate solution. Oxalic acid was used as the precipitant and insoluble Ba, Y and Cu compounds were formed at a constant pH of 6.8. The decomposition of the precipitate and the solid-state reaction were performed by firing in air at 900° C. for 2 hours. The fired products were pulverized, cold-pressed into pellets and then sintered in air at 900° C. for 5 hours. The authors found that the the sample was of nearly single phase having the formula Y₁ Ba₂ Cu₃ O₇. The diffraction pattern was obtained and indexed as having tetragonal symmetry.

Ekino et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 26, L452-L453 (1987), disclose the preparation of a superconductor sample with nominal composition Y₁.1 Ba₀.9 CuO_(4-y). A prescribed amount of powders of Y₂ O₃, BaCO₃ and CuO was mixed for about an hour, pressed under 6.4 ton/cm² (14 MPa) into pellet shape and sintered at 1000° C. in air for 3 hours.

Akimitsu et al., Jpn. J. Appl. PhYs. 26, L449-L451 (1987), disclose the preparation of samples with nominal compositions represented by (Y_(1-x) Ba_(x))₂ CuO_(4-y). The specimens were prepared by mixing the appropriate amounts of powders of Y₂ O₃, BaCO₃ and CuO. The resulting mixture was pressed and heated in air at 1000° C. for 3 hours. Some samples were annealed at appropriate temperatures in O₂ or CO₂ for several hours. The authors noted that there seemed to be a tendency that samples annealed in O₂ showed a superconducting transition with a higher onset temperature but a broader transition than non-annealed samples.

Semba et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 26, L429-L431 (1987), disclose the preparation of samples of Y_(x) Ba_(1-x) CuO_(4-d) where x=0.4 and x=0.5 by the solid state reaction of BaCO₃, Y₂ O₃ and CuO. The mixtures are heated to 950° C. for several hours, pulverized, and then pressed into disk shape. This is followed by the final heat treatment at 1100° C. in one atmosphere O₂ gas for 5 hours. The authors identified the phase that exhibited superconductivity above 90 K as one that was black with the atomic ratio of Y:Ba:Cu of 1:2:3. The diffraction pattern was obtained and indexed as having tetragonal symmetry.

Hatano et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 26, L374-L376 (1987), disclose the preparation of the superconductor compound Ba₀.7 Y₀.3 Cu₁ O_(x) from the appropriate mixture of BaCO₃ (purity 99.9%), Y₂ O₃ (99.99%) and CuO (99.9%). The mixture was calcined in an alumina boat heated at 1000° C. for 10 hours in a flowing oxygen atmosphere. The color of the resulting well-sintered block was black.

Hikami et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 26, L347-L348 (1987), disclose the preparation of a Ho-Ba-Cu oxide, exhibiting the onset of superconductivity at 93 K and the resistance vanishing below 76 K, by heating a mixture of powders Ho₂ O₃, BaCO₃ and CuO with the composition Ho:Ba:Cu=0.246:0.336:1 at 850° C. in air for two hours. The sample was then pressed into a rectangular shape and sintered at 800° C. for one hour. The sample looked black, but a small part was green.

Matsushita et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 26, L332-L333 (1987), disclose the preparation of Ba₀.5 Y₀.5 Cu₁ O_(x) by mixing appropriate amounts of BaCO₃ (purity 99.9%), Y₂ O₃ (99.99%) and CuO (99.9%). The mixture was calcined at 1000° C. for 11 hours in a flowing oxygen atmosphere. The resultant mixture was then pulverized and cold-pressed into disks. The disks were sintered at 900° C. for 4 hours in the same oxygen atmosphere. The calcined powder and disks were black. A superconducting onset temperature of 100 K was observed.

Maeno et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 26, L329-L331 (1987), disclose the preparation of various Y-Ba-Cu oxides by mixing powders of Y₂ O₃, BaCO₃ and CuO, all 99.99% pure, with a pestle and mortar. The powders were pressed at 100 kgf/cm² (98×10⁴ Pa) for 10-15 minutes to form pellets with a diameter of 12 mm. The pellets were black. The heat treatment was performed in two steps in air. First, the pellets were heated in a horizontal, tubular furnace at 800° C. for 12 hours before the heater was turned off to cool the pellets in the furnace. The pellets were taken out of the furnace at about 200° C. About half the samples around the center of the furnace turned green in color, while others away from the center remained black. The strong correlation with location suggested to the authors that this reaction occurs critically at about 800° C. The pellets were then heated at 1200° C. for 3 hours and then allowed to cool. Pellets which turned light green during the first heat treatment became very hard solids whereas pellets which remained black in the first heat treatment slightly melted or melted down. Three of the samples exhibited an onset of superconductivity above 90 K.

Iguchi et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 26, L327-L328 (1987), disclose the preparation of superconducting Y₀.8 Ba₁.2 CuO_(y) by sintering a stoichiometrical mixture of Y₂ O₃, BaCO₃ and CuO at 900° C. and at 1000° C. in air.

Hosoya et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 26, L325-L326 (1987), disclose the preparation of various superconducting specimens of the L-M-Cu-O systems where L=Yb, Lu, Y, La, Ho and Dy and M=Ba and a mixture of Ba and Sr by heating the mixtures of appropriate amounts of the oxides of the rare earth elements (99.9% pure), CuO, SrCO₃ and/or BaCO₃ in air at about 900° C. Green powder was obtained. The powder samples were pressed to form pellets which were heated in air until the color became black.

Takagi et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 26, L320-L321 (1987), disclose the preparation of various Y-Ba-Cu oxides by reacting mixtures containing the prescribed amounts of powders of Y₂ O₃, BaCO₃ and CuO at 1000° C., remixing and heat-treating at 1100° C. for a few to several hours. An onset temperature of superconductivity at 95 K or higher was observed for a specimen with the nominal composition of (Y₀.9 Ba₀.1)CuO_(y).

Hikami et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 26, L314-L315 (1987), disclose the preparation of compositions in the Y-Ba-CuO system by heating the powders of Y₂ O₃, BaCO₃ and CuO to 800° C. or 900° C. in air for 2-4 hours, pressing into pellets at 4 kbars (4×10⁵ Pa) and reheating to 800° C. in air for 2 hours for sintering. The samples show an onset of superconductivity at 85 K and a vanishing resistance at 45 K.

Bourne et al., Phys. Letters A 120, 494-496 (1987), disclose the preparation of Y-Ba-Cu-O samples of Y_(2-x) Ba_(x) CuO₄ by pressing finely ground powders of Y₂ O₃, BaCO₃ and CuO into pellets and sintering the pellets in an oxygen atmosphere at 1082° C. Superconductivity for samples having x equal to about 0.8 was reported.

Moodenbaugh et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 1885-1887 (1987), disclose superconductivity near 90° K. in multiphase samples with nominal composition Lu₁.8 Ba₀.2 CuO₄ prepared from dried Lu₂ O₃, high-purity BaCP₃ (presumably BaCO₃), and fully oxidized CuO. These powders were ground together in an agate mortar and then fired overnight in air at 1000° C. in Pt crucibles. This material was ground again, pelletized, and then fired at 1100° C. in air for 4-12 hours in Pt crucibles. Additional samples fired solely at 1000° C. and those fired at 1200° C. show no signs of superconductivity.

Hor et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 1891-1894 (1987), disclose superconductivity in the 90 K range in ABa₂ Cu₃ O_(6+x) with A=La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Ho, Er, and Lu in addition to Y. The samples were synthesized by the solid-state reaction of appropriate amounts of sesquioxides of La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Ho, Er, and Lu, BaCO₃ and CuO in a manner similar to that described in Chu et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 405 (1987) and Chu et al., Science 235, 567 (1987).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides an improved process for preparing a superconducting composition having the formula MBa₂ Cu₃ O_(x) wherein M is selected from the group consisting of Y, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu; x is from about 6.5 to about 7.0; said composition having a superconducting transition temperature of about 90 K; said process consisting essentially of mixing Ba(NO₃)₂, M₂ O₃ and CuO powders in an atomic ratio of M:Ba:Cu of about 1:2:3 to form a precursor powder and heating the precursor powder in an oxygen-containing atmosphere at a temperature from about 875° C. to about 950° C. for a time sufficient to form MBa₂ Cu₃ O_(y), where y is from about 6.0 to about 6.4; and maintaining the MBa₂ Cu₃ O_(y) in an oxygen-containing atmosphere while cooling for a time sufficient to obtain the desired product. The precursor powder can be pressed into a desired shape prior to heating. The invention also provides the shaped article prepared by the process of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The process of the invention provides an improved process for preparing superconducting a composition having the formula MBa₂ Cu₃ O_(x). M is selected from the group consisting of Y, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu, but is preferably Y. The parameter x is from about 6.5 to about 7.0, but is preferably from about 6.8 to about 7.0.

In the process of the invention a precursor powder is prepared for later heating. The precursor powder is prepared by mixing Ba(NO₃)₂, M₂ O₃, and CuO powders in an atomic ratio of M:Ba:Cu of about 1:2:3. The powders are mixed well in a mixing device or by hand using a mortar and pestle to obtain an intimate mixture of reactants. Preferably, the powders are mixed by ball milling which provides a more intimate mixture of reactants and results in a more homogeneous product after the heating and cooling steps as described herein. The use of Ba(NO₃)₂ as the source of Ba results in a relatively inexpensive but rapid preparation of a practically single-phase, superconducting MBa₂ CuO₃ O_(x) composition.

Preferably, the starting materials used in the process of the invention are of high purity, e.g. 99.99% by weight for CuO and 99.9% by weight for M₂ O₃. Less pure starting materials can be used; however, the product may then contain an amount of another phase material comparable to the amount of impurity in the starting materials. It is particularly important to avoid the presence of impurities containing iron and other transition, but non-rare earth, metals in the reactants.

The precursor powder is then heated in an oxygen-containing atmosphere at a temperature from about 875° C. to about 950° C., preferably from about 900° C. to about 950° C., for a time sufficient to form MBa₂ Cu₃ O_(y), where y is from about 6.0 to about 6.4. It has been determined by TGA data that when the precursor powder is heated to 900° C., y is from about 6.0 to about 6.4. Alternatively, prior to heating, the precursor powder can be pressed into a disk, bar or other desired shape using conventional techniques. For heating, the precursor powder is placed in a non-reactive container such as an alumina or gold crucible. The oxygen-containing atmosphere can be air or oxygen gas, but is preferably air.

The container with the precursor powder is placed in a furnace and brought to a temperature of from about 875° C. to about 950° C. It is the total time that the precursor powder is at temperatures in this range that is important. Heating rates of 10° C. per minute to 50° C. per minute can be used to raise the temperature of the furnace containing the sample from ambient temperature to the final heating temperature of from about 875° C. to about 950° C. When the final heating temperature is 900° C., 1/2 hour is sufficient time to maintain the sample at 900° C. to produce, after cooling, practically single-phase superconducting MBa₂ Cu₃ O_(x). Alternatively, the container can be placed directly into an oven already heated to the final heating temperature. Longer heating times can be used.

At the end of the heating time, the furnace is turned off, and the resulting material is allowed to cool in the oxygen-containing atmosphere for a time sufficient to obtain the desired product. Preferably, the material is cooled to about ambient temperature (a time interval of about 6 hours) before the sample container is removed from the furnace. During the cooling step, the oxygen content of the material increases to give the desired MBa₂ Cu₃ O_(x) product. The additional oxygen which enters into the crystalline lattice of the material during this cooling step to form the desired product does so by diffusion. The rate at which oxygen enters the lattice is determined by a complex function of time, temperature, oxygen content of the atmosphere, sample form, etc. Consequently, there are numerous combinations of these conditions that will result in the desired product. For example, the rate of oxygen uptake by the material at 500° C. in air is rapid, and the desired product can be obtained in less than an hour under these conditions when the sample is in the form of a loosely packed, fine particle powder. However, if the sample is in the form of larger particles, densely packed powders or shaped articles, the times required to obtain the desired product at 500° C. in air will increase. Well sintered, shaped articles will take longer to form the desired product than will more porous ones, and for larger, well sintered, shaped articles many hours may be required.

A convenient procedure for obtaining the desired product when the material is in the form of a powder or a small shaped object is to turn off the furnace in which the heating was conducted and to allow the material to cool in the furnace to a temperature approaching ambient temperature (about 22° C.) which typically requires a few hours. In the examples, cooling in the furnace to about ambient temperature was found to be sufficient. Increasing the partial pressure of oxygen in the atmosphere surrounding the sample during cooling increases the rate at which oxygen enters the lattice. If, in a particular experiment, the material is cooled in such a manner that the MBa₂ Cu₃ O_(x) product is not obtained, the material can be heated to an intermediate temperature, such as 500° C., between ambient temperature and the final temperature used in the heating step and held at this temperature for a sufficient time to obtain the desired product. If the MBa₂ Cu₃ O_(x) product is pressed into a desired shape and sintered at about 900° C. to about 950 ° C., the above cooling considerations would then apply to the resulting shaped article.

The product powder formed by the process of the invention is practically single-phase and has orthorhombic symmetry as determined by X-ray diffraction measurements.

The process of this invention provides a single heating-step method for preparing a superconducting MBa₂ Cu₃ O_(x) composition that does not require a special atmosphere during the heating step, subsequent grinding, reheating or annealing, extended heating times or refining of the product to separate the desired superconducting MBa₂ Cu₃ O_(x) composition from other phases. The best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention is described in Example 3.

As used herein the phrase "consisting essentially of" means that additional steps can be added to the process of the invention so long as such steps do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the invention. Superconductivity can be confirmed by observing flux exclusion, i. e., the Meissner effect.

The invention is further illustrated by the following examples in which temperatures are in degrees Celsius unless otherwise indicated. The chemicals (with purity indicated) used in the following the examples are Ba(NO₃)₂ -(99.999%) and CuO - (99.999%) obtained from Johnson and Matthey Chemicals Ltd. (Puratronics), Y₂ O₃ - (99.99%) obtained from Research Organic/Inorganic Chemicals Ltd. High purity chemicals were used to demonstrate that the process of the invention can result in practically single-phase MBa₂ Cu₃ O_(x).

EXAMPLE 1

Ba(NO₃)₂ (5.979 g ), 2.730 g of CuO, and 1.291 g of Y₂ O₃ were ground together in an agate mortar for 15 minutes, and the resulting mixed powder was pressed into disks approximately 1 cm in diameter and 0.2 cm in thickness. One disk was placed in a gold container and heated in air in a furnace from ambient temperature to a final heating temperature of 900° at a rate of about 10° per minute. The temperature was maintained at 900° for 30 minutes. The furnace was then turned off and allowed to cool to ambient temperature (an elapsed time of about 6 hours) after which the sample was removed. The fired disk was black. An X-ray diffraction powder pattern was obtained on the crushed disk. The X-ray diffraction pattern indicated that the product was YBa₂ Cu₃ O_(x) with orthorhombic symmetry and contained a very small amount of Y₂ BaCuO₅ and BaCuO₂ as impurities. The material exhibited the Meissner effect at about 90 K, thereby indicating a superconducting transition of about 90 K.

EXAMPLE 2

A disk prepared substantially as described in Example 1 was placed in a gold container and heated in air by inserting the sample directly into a tube furnace already at a temperature of 900°. The temperature was maintained at 900° for 30 minutes. The furnace was then turned off and allowed to cool to ambient temperature (an elapsed time of about 6 hours) after which the sample was removed. The resulting fired disk was black. An X-ray diffraction powder pattern was obtained on the crushed disk. The pattern showed that the product was YBa₂ Cu₃ O_(x) with orthorhombic symmetry and contained a very small amount of Y₂ BaCuO₅ and BaCuO₂ as impurities. The material exhibited the Meissner effect at about 90 K, thereby indicating a superconducting transition of about 90 K.

EXAMPLE 3

Ba(NO₃)₂ (5.979 g ), 2.730 g of CuO, and 1.291 g of Y₂ O₃ were ball milled together in an agate mill for 12 hours and the resulting mixed powder was pressed into disks approximately 1 cm in diameter and 0.2 cm in thickness. A disk was placed in a gold container and heated in air in a furnace from ambient temperature to a final heating temperature of 900° at a rate of about 35° per minute. The temperature was maintained at 900° for 30 minutes. The furnace was then turned off and allowed to cool to ambient temperature (an elapsed time of about 6 hours) after which the sample was removed. The resulting fired disk was black. An X-ray diffraction powder pattern was obtained on the crushed disk and showed the product to be orthorhombic YBa₂ Cu₃ O_(x) with a trace amount of impurity, presumably BaCuO₂ and Y₂ BaCuO₅. The material exhibited the Meissner effect at about 90 K, thereby indicating a superconducting transition at about 90 K.

EXAMPLE 4

A disk prepared substantially as described in Example 3 was placed in a gold container and heated in air by inserting the sample directly into a tube furnace already at a temperature of 900° . The temperature was maintained at 900° for 30 minutes. The furnace was then turned off and allowed to cool to ambient temperature (an elapsed time of about 6 hours) after which the sample was removed. The resulting fired disk was black. An X-ray diffraction powder pattern was obtained on the crushed disk. The pattern showed that the product was YBa₂ Cu₃ O_(x) with orthorhombic symmetry and contained a very small amount of Y₂ BaCuO₅ and BaCuO₂ as impurities. The material exhibited the Meissner effect at about 90 K, thereby indicating a superconducting transition of about 90 K. 

The invention being claimed is:
 1. An improved process for preparing a superconducting composition having the formula MBa₂ Cu₃ O_(x) whereinM is selected from the group consisting of Y, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu; x is from about 6.5 to about 7.0; said process consisting essentially of mixing Ba(NO₃)₂, M₂ O₃ and CuO powders in an atomic ratio of M:Ba:Cu of about 1:2:3 to form a precursor powder and heating the precursor powder in an oxygen-containing atmosphere at a temperature from about 875° C. to about 950° C. for a time sufficient to form MBa₂ Cu₃ O_(y), where y is from about 6.0 to about 6.4; and maintaining the MBa₂ Cu₃ O_(y) in an oxygen-containing atmosphere while cooling for a time sufficient to obtain the desired product, said process being limited to a single heating step without subsequent grinding and reheating.
 2. A process according to claim 1 wherein the precursor powder is pressed into a desired shape prior to heating.
 3. A process according to claim 1 wherein the precursor powder is heated at a temperature from about 900° C. to about 950° C.
 4. A process according to claim 2 wherein the precursor powder is heated at a temperature from about 900° C. to 950° C.
 5. A process according to claim 3 wherein x is from about 6.8 to about 7.0.
 6. A process according to claim 4 wherein x is from about 6.8 to about 7.0.
 7. A process according to claim 5 wherein M is Y.
 8. A process according to claim 6 wherein M is Y. 